What does it mean that the tongue of the wise promotes health (Proverbs 12:18)?

To utter truth simply and characteristically in a world where men walk in a vain show, is a real display of righteousness, and the righteous Jehovah loves righteousness. There may be higher and deeper truth now that the Son of God is come and has given us understanding to know Him that is true. But righteousness is indispensable; without it, pretension to grace is a delusion. Again, a false witness is an evident slave of Satan. To mistake we are all liable; but deceit is quite a different and a most evil thing, as mischievous to man as offensive to God.

Babbling or rash speaking is compared most aptly to the piercings of a sword; it inflicts wounds and pain; it flows from levity if not malice, and it has no aim of good. The tongue of the wise carries conviction to every upright heart. It may smite if duty call for it righteously, but it is a kindness; such wounds heal, as they prove and remove what only harms. The tongue of the wise is health.

How perfectly true it was of the Lord Jesus, that He always spoke truth and thus plainly declared the righteousness of God (v. 17), in, great contrast to those who sought to trap Him in His words by their contemptible deceit. Such people knew how to speak like the piercings of a sword, with the object of harming others (v. 18). The Lord knew how to turn such attacks against the attacker, and by his own words to promote health for all who would receive them.

Idle chatter leads to gossip, and gossip leads to scandal. Oh, be careful and bridle your tongue! Check the outflow. If it is the product of the new nature in you, then let it flow spontaneously (James 1:26). Words from the lips of some are as a sword to hurt (Prov. 12:18); from the lips of others they are as a honeycomb to give joy and health (Prov. 16:24).

Then benignity, or healing, of the tongue is a fruitful source in a world of death. How many pitfalls does it not save from, and rough places smooth? But perversity or crookedness in the tongue is provocative of griefs and wounds without end. How truly a breaking of the spirit!

The tongue of the righteous, as we are told in verse 20, is as choice silver. This is apposite and suggestive. We might have thought other metals might have suited not less well. Many a tongue that is not righteous cuts like the brightest and sharpest steel. But as silver in sanctuary associations pointed to grace, and gold to righteousness divine, so in usage among men silver is specially adapted for probing wounds without corrosion or festering. So is the tongue of the just, always with grace, seasoned with salt. Hence the apostolic call on "the spiritual" to restore one overtaken in any trespass; the unspiritual is apt to be severe, the carnal would be careless and resent true judgment.

"Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it" (v. 22), for such character promotes the activity of life that is life indeed. But the correction of fools will not make them wise, rather it will confirm their folly, for they despise correction. Verse 23 is an interesting comment on the importance of the heart being stored with wisdom. When it is so, the heart teaches the mouth, adding learning to the lips. Then indeed, pleasant words will be the result, words like a honeycomb, stored with sweetness (v. 24). Others will recognize this as sweetness to their souls, tending to health in their bones, the framework of the body. Of course, this implies that the words are pleasant because of their spiritual value.

On the other hand, the tongue can be used for blessing. When our speech is gracious and kind, we can do much good to all those with whom we come in contact. Of the virtuous woman it is said, "In her tongue is the law of kindness" (Proverbs 31:26). If this could be said of us, how happy we should be! How happy too we could make others, by gracious and kind words.

Instead of the mouth giving forth corrupt communication, its outflow is to be good and edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearer. The law speaks of that which issues out of the mouth of the unregenerate sinner, and we shudder at its faithful testimony: “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips.” Now the law speaks to the man under it, in order that his mouth may be stopped. A gateway open for such a welter of wickedness as this had better be shut up for ever. But if the heart is purified by faith, and grace is poured into the lips, the outflow shall be a delight to the heart of the hearer and refreshing to the weary among God’s pilgrims on their way to glory.

We carry a message of grace, to be expressed in words of grace; at the same time our speech is to be seasoned with the salt of holiness. Thus speaking, our grace will not degenerate into lightly passing over sins, nor our faithfulness into mere hard condemnation of sinners. For this combination of grace and "salt" we need the wisdom of Christ Who, not only knew the right answer to give every enquirer or opposer, but, how to answer so as to meet the need of each one.

Thus too one learns to help others, when speech is well considered, timely, and sought for. "A man has joy (not pride) in the answer of his mouth." Others too reap the profit, as he desires; for "a word in season, how good is it!"